Should we mock the 0-3 crushing defeat against Spain? "There was no defensive football. Our goal is to win the World Cup"
Aug 05, 2024
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The team, including Oiwa Ko, head coach of Japan's U-23 team, returned home through Tokyo Haneda Airport after completing their Olympic schedule on the 4th.
Japan reached the quarterfinals curiously by winning all three scoreless games against Paraguay (5-0), Mali (1-0) and Israel (1-0) in Group D of the Olympic Group, but in the quarterfinals, they met Spain in the "Invincible Fleet" and lost 0-3 helplessly. Two goals were scored by Fermin Lopez (Barcelona) and another by Abel Lewis (Girona). There was a sense of disappointment at the return site because he challenged for a medal.
Left-back Ayumu Ohata (Urawa Reds) said in an interview with Japanese reporters, "I'm angry. "I wanted to play the next two games as well."There were a lot of things I couldn't do against Spain. The opponent was superior both physically and in ball handling. ?Jack 括鰥? The pressure I received was the greatest in my career so far. I just want to reach the level of those players."
Although the performance was less than expected, there are also favorable reviews in Japan that 'I saw the possibility' rather than criticism or criticism. The Japanese soccer media 『Ultra Soccer』 proudly drew with France in a friendly match and showed a fight against Spain by aggressive and proper build-up, rather than defending", he commented. In fact, Japan faced three shots in the match against Spain while constantly facing forward pressure.
Oiwa, who has led the Olympic team for the past two and a half years, said "Japan's U-23 team focused on it in preparation for the Paris Olympics." Then "What should we do if Japan wants to win the World Cup? Japanese soccer is respected in Asia, but when we go out to the world, we have to face teams of different levels such as South America, Africa, and Europe. It's not a level of football that we can respond to. Rather, I think it is necessary to aim at what the other person is afraid of"I expressed my feelings.
In addition, "We always thought about how to dominate the game with our tactics, so I think our strengths were shown in the match against Spain.", he commented.
Coach Oiwa, whose contract expired after this tournament, said "Players have grown tremendously over the past two and a half years. They went through the ages of 20 and 21 before heading to the 23-year-old national team. The level has improved, and the environment has changed. This year's players' eyes have changed. Their growth led to the U-23 Asian Cup championship."
Coach Oiwa said, `Japanese soccer needs to develop further. I don't know how much more desire the players have grown and the standard to target has risen, but I'd like to expect this tournament to be a turning point."
South Korea failed to advance to the Olympic finals for the first time in 40 years after being eliminated from the quarterfinals at the Asian Cup. Athletes under the age of 23 have lost their precious opportunity to compete in the Olympics, the last competition of their age. From a distance, I watched Japan face Spain in the quarterfinals.
yoonjinman@sportschosun.com
